Building structure



Patented May 11, 1954 UNITED- PATENT oer BUILDING STRUCTURE Joseph J-J-Gruber, Buffalo, N: Y., ,assignor'to 'De troit Steel Ptoductsicoinpany,Detroit; Mich; a corpora-tion of Michigan Application April 30, 1951;SerialNo'; 223,733

llcclaims: l 1

The" present invention relatesto building-structure; and moreparticularly 'to an assembly-ofstructural panels.

It isan object-of the present invention to provide means for supportingor coupling a plurality of hollow structural'p'an'els in a mann'er whichfacilitates assembly of theparts.

It is a further object of thepresent invention tot provide a" novelpanel" and supporting construction designed to afford a weathewtigh'tseal automatically-upon assembly of the components.-

More'specifically, it is an object of'the present invention to provide asupport or coupling-mem ber 'forassociation with a hollow buildingpanel,the panel havinga recessed end'provided with a trough extending alongone side: thereof for receivinga plastic caulkingwompound; the supportor coupling member having a continuous -leg extendingoutwardlytherefroinadaptedto be received' within' the trough and to displace caulkj ingcompound in a manner to afiEord aweathertight seal.

It is 'a further object of the: present invention to: providestructureof "the charactlar described the preceding paragraph, in whichthe coir-- plihg memberor support is provided-white sec-- ond legspaced' from-and parallel to thefi'rst lg and "adapted to engage anendof- 'th'e panel so as to provide mechanical support for the" panel"against transverse shifting movement:

Other ohjectsand'featuresof'the-inventi'on will become-apparent asthe-description proceeds, es pecially" when taken in conjunction withthe ac companying drawings," wherein:

Figure l isa fragmentaryelevationalvieW showing a plurality ofpanelsengagement with a support "or coupling "member:

Figure -2 is an end elevational view' ofthe'as sembly shown in Figure l;

Figure 3 is an' enlarged sectional-viewer! the line 3 3;" Figure 1;

Figure" 4, is an enlarged" transverse sectional view showing the mannerin which" a pairof panels "arei'coupied" together" in *endto-endrelationship:

Figure 5 1' is an enlarged perspective view -with parts'broken' awayandsectionedsubstantiallyon therline 5- -5; Figure-1;

Figure "6" is a fragmentarwp'ers'pective view of. a panellusedimthe'constructioni Figure 7 ma fragmentarytransverse. vertical sectionillustrating a modified ecuplifrgandsupp m't arrangement? Describedgeneralfterms, the presentunvem tion comprises building construction"includinga" :5 plurality of hollow fiat metal panels suitablyinterconnectedl'alongtheir edges and coupled togetheriorxsupportedatth'eir'ends in a-novel relationsh-ip.- The-panels-are referred-to ashollow althoughliof'course they may be filled with'suitable insulatingmaterial if desired. In general, the edges of thepanels are providedwith :interfifitiii'gztongues and groovesor the like. The ends of thepanels: arerecessed and preferably. are provided with end closures ofparticular design'; Thelend closures specifically are formedstoprovide'atrough'r or channel for the reception of a plastic caulkingcompound.

The individual panels are each connected at one end, andrpreferablyithelower endthereof to asupportor coupling-:member having a pairof'continuousaparallel outstandingspaced legs; one of "which: is shapedv toenter' thetrough orchannel so as 'to displace" plastic caulking.compound in a:manner to afford-aweather tight'seal At the sameztime;this-leg engages one side of the trough in amanner to afford mechanicalsupport forthe end of the: panel against transversemovement. Theother-leg of the support or couplingz meinher-engages .2anend-surface ofthe "panel insu'ch a: manner that the two legs positively preventtransverse movement of the panel in eithendirection;

Referringunow tothe' drawings; in Figure 1 there are illustrated aplurality of panels lll=connectedtoa' support l2. Inithis instanca'thesupport' l2i is shown as mountedion a; art: I 4 "of the building;theisuppiort comprising a flat "portion? 16' havin'g ;afirstiverticallyvextending" continuous leg extending abutment-=24adapted-to engage thepart 1 4 of thebuil'di'ng; all-asbest seen inFigure 5. Tliepanels" H asbest seen in Figures 3 and li, eaclicomprisea.tongue 38; a groove 32', a rib 34;

anda-rabbetSBr The rabbet 36 is-dimensionedto receivethetongue=3llprovided at the-- edge of the adj'acentp'anel, and the-groove32 is shaped to interfit with the 'rib' 34 of the adjacent "panel.

The manner-"in whi'chth'e support l2'cooperates-with tlreb0t-t0m-'end ofthepan'el lll is 'ap parent from Figure- "4-. In this figure-a form ofsupport or couplin'g member 4Q 'is-i1lus'tratedwhich is somewhatdifferent from the support [2 shown" in' Figure" 2; the" specificdiiierencebeingr'that 'themembewldis-provided with a sec 3 end dependingflange 42 adapted to engage an outer surface of the panel Ill. Themember 49 however, includes a fiat horizontal portion 44 which isidentical with the portion l6 illustrated in Figures 2 and 5. Theportion 44 is provided at one edge with a continuous upstanding leg 45and is provided with a second continuous upstanding leg 48 which isspaced from and parallel to the leg 46. The leg 48 is spaced inwardlyfrom the adjacent edge of the flat portion 44 of the support.

The panels In at their lower ends are provided with an end closure 50which is of downwardly open hollow configuration. The closure member 54includes a first side wall 52 in surface-to-surface contact with anadjacent side wall 54 of the panel I0. The member 50 includes a secondside Wall 55 which is in surfaceto-surface contact with the innersurface of the opposite side wall 58 of the panel l0. Extending inwardlyfrom the side wall 52, the member 59 includes a short bottom wallsection 60 and a short outwardly extending wall section 62, the

walls 52, 69 and 62 together defining a trough, well or channel 63 forthe reception of a suitable plastic caulking compound 64. From the outerend of the wall 62, the member 56 is provided with a diagonallyextending bottom wall 66 which connects the trough to the opposite sidewall 56.

In use the end closure member 50 is inserted in the panels 10 at one endthereof, thus establishing the end which is to be the lower end of thepanel in assembly. End closure members 50 may be suitably secured withinthe open end of the panels I!) such as by welding if desired, orotherwise. The assembly thus far described accordingly results in theprovision of a hollow building panel havin a recessed end provided witha trough extending along one side of the recessed end for reception of asuitable plastic caulking compound. The plastic caulking compound isdeposited in the trough 63 during manufacture of the panel and remainstherein.

The opposite end of the panels H), as i1lusl.

trated in Figures 4 and '7, include a second end closure 68.

In alignment with the ends of th trough 63 each of the panels [0 isprovided with notches '10 adapted to receive the leg 20 or 48 of thesupport or coupling member [2 or 40 respectively.

In order to assemble a plurality of panels iii in the relationship shownin Figure 1 or Figure 4, one of the panels is connected to the supportor coupling member in such a manner as to cause the leg 20 or 48 toenter the trough 63. The plastic caulking compound 64 therein is presentin such amount that entrance of the leg 26 or 48 into the troughdisplaces the plastic caulking compound so as to substantially fill aspace defined at the top by the wall 50, at one side by the wall 52, atthe other side by a portion of the wall 62 and by the leg 20 or 48, andat the bot tom by the part of the portion It or 44 disposing outwardlyfrom the leg 20 or 48, all as clearly illustrated in Figures 4 and 7. Itwill be ob served at this time that the leg 20 or 48 abuts the troughside surface of the wall 62. At the same time the le !8 or 46 engagesthe outer surface of the side wall 58 of the panel. Where the wallconstruction illustrated in the figures is an outer wall of a building,the trough 63 is located at the weather-side of the wall. Thus, thelower end of the upper panel III, as seen in Figures 4 and 7, issupported by the leg 20 or 48 against outward movement relative to thesupport or coupling member I2 or 4!! and is supported against movementinwardly of the building by the leg 18 or 46.

A depending flange 42 carried by the coupling member 40, as best seen inFigure 4, engages a portion of the inner wall 58 of the next lower panelmember and depending flange H has an abutment portion 12 which engagesthe outer wall 54 of the lower panel at a point substantially below itsupper end.

The support or coupling member 40 may conveniently be provided in theform of an elongated continuous extrusion. The depending flange ll andits abutment portion provide an efiective weather-tight seal incooperation with the upper end of the lower panel IE. The leg 43, by itsdisplacement of the plastic caulking compound 1'54, provides anefiective weathertight seal for the lower end of the upper panel H). Theupstanding le 46 and the'depending flange 42 of the coupling member 40,shown in Figure 4, provides an attractive cover element concealing thejoint between the adjacent ends of the panels H3.

The construction illustrated in Figure 7 involves the same couplinbetween the parts and differs only in the manner of support. In thisillustrated use of the panel and coupling or support member, the memberI2 is supported from an angle iron which in turn is supported from asecond angle iron 82 carried by a structural element 84. Thus, thestructural element 84 may constitute the support for a floor or the likeand also provides for support of an upper row of panels lil through themedium of the angle irons 39 and 82 and the elongated support orcoupling member 42.

The present arrangement facilitates the assembly of parts on a buildingsite and avoids the necessity for a separate caulking operation duringassembly. The caulking compound is provided in the trough of therecessed lower end of the panel at the factory and remains therein readyfor use when shipped to the erecting site. It is only necessary for theworkmen to bring the panel and support or coupling member intoassociation in a manner to cause the leg 20 or 48 to enter into thetrough 63 in the manner illustrated in Figures 4 and. 7. Thisautomatically provides a caulked weather-tight seal and displaces theplastic caulking compound so as to substantially fill the space providedbetween the trough and the coupling member. Moreover, the assembly ofthe panel and support or coupling member automatically brings the panelinto properly aligned relationship through the interengagement betweenthe upstanding legs of the support or coupling member and a side wall ofthe trough and a side wall of the panel. Moreover, and as specificallyillustrated in Figure 4,-

the assembly positively insures proper alignment between panels disposedin a vertical tier.

Since the panels are designed to provide a se-v cure sealed interfittingrelationship along their edges, it is necessary only to bring a secondpanel into proper registering relationship with an ad-.

tionship characterized also by an adequate weathertight seal.

The present construction also simplifies the:

initialconstruction of the panels inasmuch as the upper end thereof neednot be precision;

a-events "lsquared. "Obviouslyjthe substantial overlap pro- "vid'ed "inassembly for *the *upper end of -the -pan- "lspeririitsthese eridstdhavesubstantialldevia- 'tiori from --an"accurate squaredmelationship.

While the illustrated construction shows pan- *els the :"opposite sidesof which areiiat surfaces, ""the invention' isof course equallyapplicableto 1 a building panel-which ismodified from the illusmembersto accommodate the ribs.

The drawings and the foregoing specificationaconstituteia description.ofthemimproved build- -ing structure in such full,.clear, :concise::andexeact terms "as to enable any, -person skilled :in the art to practicethe invention, ,thescope of which ".isrindicated by the appendedclaims.

7 What leclaim as my invention is:

1. .'In combination, a panel support pomprisring aneelongated memberhaving a fiatr portion provided with a pair of outstanding spacedparallel legs, one of which is located inwardly from one edge of saidflat portion, a hollow structural panel connected to said support, saidpanel including an elongated outwardly open channel shaped end closuremember, the side walls of said member being in abutment against theinner surfaces of the side walls of said panel, the inner wall of saidmember being shaped to provide a trough for receiving a plastic caulkingcompound and including a third wall intermediate the said side walls ofsaid member and parallel thereto, said support and panel being assembledwith one leg of said support located within said trough and abutting oneside of said trough, the other leg of said support engaging the side ofsaid panel remote from said trough.

2. In combination, a panel support comprising an elongated member havinga flat portion provided with a pair of outstanding spaced parallel legs,one of which is located inwardly from one edge of said flat portion, ahollow structural panel connected to said support, said panel having arecessed edge cooperating with said support, a trough in said recessededge for receiving a plastic caulking compound, said trough being at oneside of said panel and having one side wall common therewith, one leg ofsaid support extending into said trough and the other leg of saidsupport engaging the side wall of said panel remote from said trough.

3. In combination, a panel support comprising i an elongated memberhaving a flat portion provided with a pair of outstanding spacedparallel legs, one of which is located inwardly from one edge of saidflat portion, a hollow structural panel connected to said support, saidpanel including an elongated outwardly open channel shaped end closuremember, the side walls of said member being in abutment against theinner surfaces of the side walls of said panel, the inner wall of saidmember being shaped to provide a trough for receiving a plastic caulkingcompound and including a third wall intermediate the said side walls ofsaid member and parallel thereto, said support and panel being assembledwith one leg of said support located within said trough and abutting thesurface of said third wall at the side of said trough, the other leg ofsaid support engaging the outer surface of the side of said panel remotefrom said trough.

4. A building construction comprising an elonleg extends to engage theside of said troughremotefrom the 'sa id one side 'of I said panel, the

gatedsupport member having a flat portion providedwitha pair ofstraightparallel continuous *le'gs outstanding therefrom; oneof said legsbeingspaced inwardly from V one edge of said 'fiatportion, a plurality ofhollow structural panels'con- "nected at their ends to said supportmember, said support member being of a length atdeast equal to *thewidth of a plurality of -'panels,'-said panels havingelongatedtroughs-"in their ends adjacent on side thereof into which-said-one other of said legs engaging the outer sidewall =-**of'isa;idpanels at the-other side thereof, and notches in theends of said troughsfor receiving saidone leg, the transverse width of said troughs beingsubstantiallygreater than the thieknessof the leg received therein.

A ibuilding constructioncomprising an elon- -"gated'support havingiafiat portion provided-with --apair of straightparallel continuous legsoutstanding therefrom one of saidlegs being spaced inwardly from oneedge of said flat portion, a

plurality of hollow structural panels connected at their ends to saidsupport, said support being of a length at least equal to the width of aplurality of panels, said panels having elongated troughs in their endsextending along one side of said panels for receiving caulking compound,the said one leg of said support extending into said trough and engagingthe inner wall of said trough, the other leg of said support engagingthe outer surface of said panel, said panels having notches in theiredges in alignment with said troughs to receive said one leg thetransverse width of said troughs being substantially greater than thethickness of the leg received therein.

6. A building construction comprising a pair of hollow structural panelsdisposed end-to-end in a vertical tier, a coupling member comprising aflat portion disposed between the ends of said panels, a dependingflange at one edge of said member engaging one side of the lower of saidpanels, a pair of upstanding spaced parallel continuous legs on saidmember, the lower end of said upper panel having a recessed troughextending therealong for receiving caulking com pound, one of said legsextending into said trough, the other of said legs engaging a side ofsaid upper panel.

7. A building construction comprising a pair of hollow structural panelsdisposed end-to-end in a vertical tier, a coupling member comprising aflat portion disposed between the ends of said panels, a dependingflange at one edge of said member engaging one side of the lower of saidpanels, a pair of upstanding spaced parallel continuous legs on saidmember, the lower end of said upper panel having a recessed troughextending therealong at one side thereof for receiving caulkingcompound, one of said legs extending into said trough, the other of saidlegs engaging the side of said panel remote from said trough.

8. A building construction comprising a pair of hollow structural panelsdisposed end-to-end in a vertical tier, a coupling member comprising aflat portion disposed between the ends of said panels, a dependingflange at one edge of said member engaging one side of the lower of saidpanels, a pair of upstanding spaced parallel continuous legs on saidmember, the lower end of said upper panel having a recessed troughextending therealong at one side thereof for receiving caulkingcompound, one of said legs extending into said trough and abutting theside of said trough remote from the adjacent side of said panel, theother of said legs engaging the outer surface of the other side of saidpanel.

p 9. Structure as defined in claim 8 in which a plurality of tiers ofpanels are connected to a single coupling member, and the edges of theupper panels are notched in aligmnent with the trough to receive saidone leg.

10; Structure as defined in claim 9 in which said coupling membercomprises a second depending flange engaging th opposite sides of saidlower panels.

11. Structure comprising a self-sealing joint between a hollow panel anda support, comprising an elongated flat support having a continuous ribextending therealong at right angles thereto intermediate its sides, apanel having a recessed edge cooperable with said support, a troughextending inwardly from the bottom of the recess in the edge of saidpanel at one side thereof, said rib being positioned to enter saidtrough as said panel is relatively moved toward 8 said support, thetransverse width of said troughs being substantially greater than thethickness of the rib received therein, a quantity of plastic caulkingcompound in said trough, the quantity of compound and the dimension ofsaid trough and rib being proportioned so that said rib displacescompound to substantially fill the space defined by said trough, saidrib, the adjacent side of said panel, and said support.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 2,069,176 Budd Jan. 26, 1937 2,091,415 Mauser Aug. 31, 19372,100,957 Hofiman Nov. 30, 1937 2,165,336 Brogden July 11, 19392,175,579 Stratton Oct. 11, 1939 2,186,310 Von Hoefen Jan. 9, 19402,199,586 Bowser 1 May 7, 1940 2,209,816 Grapp July 30, 1940 2,289,469Turner July 14, 1942 2,423,199

Milnor July 1, 1947

